A+ course

right-o, anonymous... do some research, whacked...

A+ teaches you about hardware, and is supported by a plethora of companies (none of which are software companies, like microsoft). A+ basically secures you a better job in the tech-support field.

If you''re wondering where you got the idea that A+ was hosted by Microsoft, you''re probably thinking of MCSE, the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer training/certificates. These don''t have anything to do with programming, either, and have a lot more to do with networks. There is a series of nine (?) tests, some of which are electives, and each cost about $100 each time you take them (you can take them as many times as you want, but it costs another $100 if you do). You can probably get a better job as a Sys-admin with MCSE than without (but this depends on your other schooling -- if you haven''t had any, or much, college, the MCSE can help you a lot... if you want to be an NT sys-admin, that is)

If you''re looking for a certification that will look good on your resume while you''re looking for a programming job, don''t go for the A+ or the MCSE... go for a bona-fide bachelour''s degree in CSC. If you''re too young to go to college, or if you think you know enough that you don''t want to give all your money (and time) to a university/college, but still want a job as a programmer, you can get some online certifications (like at brainbench or something... look it up in google). Online certifications can get your foot in an interview, but nothing looks better than a few years of experience, some working code, and that piece of paper you can only get by sitting through 4+ years of college.

Just be sure you have all the fun you can grab when you''re in college, ''cause after that you don''t get any more 4 year vacations.

Any other questions?

"Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things are and what they ought to be."
        --William Hazlitt

Ok you shouldn''t say evil empire for two reasons

A)Someone such as yourself using that term is a disgrace to poor old Rage Against The Machine

B)Without the windows operating system you really wouldn''t be able to have your little AOL buddy list or whatever other crap you run..

Not to mention all that crap about how A+ Certification has to do with programming! Where in the H - E - Double Hockey sticks did you get a stupid idea like that? Crimeney! You make me sick!

Dang I hate Microsoft bashers.....

Matthew Fitzgerald (Maketty),
Knightvision Games